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RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY PSY 300 – Fall 2016 Prof. Katie Corker

E­mail: corkerka@gvsu.edu

Section 06, T/Th 4:00­5:15 pm, P. Kindschi Hall of Science 2207 Section 14, T/Th 1:00­2:15 pm, Mackinac Hall D1215 Computer classroom: LOCATION TBD Prerequisites: PSY 101 or HNR 234, STA 215 or STA 312, & WRT 150 (grade of C or better) Office Hours: T/Th 12­12:45pm, Weds 10:30am­12pm Appointments during Office Hours:

https://katiecorker.youcanbook.me/ Appointments at other times (email to request)

Office Location: 2128 Au Sable Hall Office Phone: (616) 331­2932 (but email is recommended) I. Course Overview

Research methods are foundational to the study of psychology. The scientific method is what allows us to ask and answer questions about how the mind works, why humans behave the way they do, and how we can best structure society and the workplace to support human flourishing. Some students believe that studying research methods is boring and difficult. This needn’t be the case, and this course is designed to be very hands­on, so that students can learn about research by doing research. Students in this course will learn how psychologists come to know the things they know. They will learn how to tell the difference between good and bad research designs. They will learn how to report on the results of research using APA style. Most important, this course will lay the groundwork for future study and research in psychology. “This course is designated SWS. Completion of WRT 150 with a grade of C or better (not C­) is a prerequisite. SWS credit will not be given to a student who completes this course before completing the prerequisite. SWS courses adhere to certain guidelines. Students turn in a total of at least 3000 words of writing. Part of that total may be essay exams, but a substantial amount of it is made up of

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essays, reports, or research papers. The instructor works with the students on revising drafts of papers, rather than simply grading the finished piece of writing. At least four hours of class time will be devoted to writing instruction. At least one third of the final grade in the course is based on the writing assignments. Students must complete the course with a grade of C or better in order to receive SWS credit.”

II. About Your Instructor

A. Contacting me. The best way to contact me is via e­mail. I typically check e­mail throughout the day, but only during normal business hours (9 am – 5 pm). If you send me an email in the evening, you should not expect to get a response until the next business day.

B. Office hours. Office hours are listed above, but I am

available to meet with you during other times, if you make an appointment with me by e­mail.

C. My expertise. I was trained as a personality and social

psychologist with a specialization in quantitative methods. I earned a Ph.D. and a master’s degree from Michigan State University and a bachelor of arts from the University of Northern Iowa. I have conducted research in the areas of motivation, goal setting, academic achievement, and the role of personality in influencing all of these variables.

III. Required Reading

Required Text: Research Methods in Psychology: Evaluating a World of Information (2014; 2nd Edition) by Beth Morling, ISBN: 978­0­393­93693­3 Required Readings: Additional required readings will be posted on the course website. Recommended:

1. A Short Guide to Writing about Psychology, 3 rd Edition (2011) by Dana S. Dunn, ISBN: 978­0­205­75281­2

2. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6 th Edition

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IV. Course Objectives

This course is designed to help students develop their skills in the following areas: A. Psychological research, from start to finish. In addition

to those skills mentioned in the course overview (above), students will learn how to think like a psychological scientist. They will learn how to recognize a good research design from a poor one. They will learn how to select valid and reliable instruments for their research. They will learn how to recognize confounds in research design. In short, they will learn everything they need to know to ask and answer questions using psychological research methods.

B. Analytic writing. Students will develop their capability to present an argument persuasively in written language. Research papers, like many other forms of writing, seek to pose a question and answer it. That is, they contain a central argument supported by evidence. Furthermore, they tell a story – taking the reader on a journey along a line of reasoning. In this course, students will begin to learn how to craft such arguments persuasively.

C. Quantitative reasoning. Students will review a basic

grounding in statistics as used in psychological research. This course focuses on measures of central tendency, variability, correlation, and simple null hypothesis significance testing (t ­test, ANOVA). Students will apply this knowledge to the interpretation of statistical reporting in the psychological research literature.

D. Graphical displays and interpretation. Students will

learn to interpret graphical displays of data, as well as produce graphical displays and figures for their lab reports.

E. Oral presentation and civil discourse. Oral communication

is a critical skill for success in your life at GVSU and beyond. Students in this course will work to improve their formal presentation skills, as well as hone their ability to speak candidly and civilly when discussing psychological research. Upon completing this course, students should be able to verbally explain the design of

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a research study, emphasizing what makes the study important and interesting as well as elaborating on strengths and weaknesses in the study’s design.

It is the instructor’s goal that students become proficient in each of these key areas. Evaluations are designed to assess the extent to which proficiency in these areas has been attained.

V. Evaluation

A. Research article critiques. To gain familiarity with the psychological research literature, students will write two critiques of psychological research articles. There will also be a corresponding in­class discussion of the articles.

B. Lab reports. To train in both conducting and reporting

research, students will complete two lab reports, one with an experimental design and one measurement project. Students will report on study methods and results, and they will construct tables and figures.

C. Research project and presentation. In research teams, students will work together to propose a research question and investigate this question using data. They will write a full APA style report. We will work as a class to revise these papers through a series of drafts. In the last week of the course, students will present their research in their teams. Rubrics for both projects will be available on Blackboard.

D. Exams. There will be two midterm exams and one

cumulative final exam. The purpose of midterms is to give early feedback on your understanding of course material and make sure you are keeping up with the material. Exams will be a mix of multiple choice and short­answer format. The dates of the exams are firm – I will not change them on you at the last minute.

E. Attendance. I expect that you will attend all classes

and participate actively. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to make up any missed material by consulting a classmate. Only then may you make an appointment to meet with me to ask follow up questions. Students must come to office hours prepared; students

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who are habitually absent (> 2 classes missed) should expect limited access to office hours. There are no make­up presentations. There are no make­up exams, except in the following cases:

1. Excused absence for approved extracurricular/ religious holiday: Students should make arrangements with me at least one week before the exam to take the exam early.

2. Excused absence for illness: Students with

documented illness or injury should (1)notify me immediately and provide documentation, and (2)make arrangements to take the exam at the soonest possible opportunity, but no later than one week following the scheduled exam. I reserve the right to give the exam in an alternative form.

F. Homework & Participation. This component of the course

will be a combination of small assignments and an assessment of your contribution to (and attendance in) class discussions.

G. Extra credit. Students may complete additional article

critiques for extra credit, worth up to 5 points each. Furthermore, students may attend psychology research talks in the department or on campus and then write a one page reflection to be submitted on Blackboard no later than 7 days after the talk. Reflections are worth up to 5 points each. Students may earn no more than 20 points of extra credit through any combination of extra credit possibilities. All extra credit is due, via Blackboard, no later than 5 pm on 12/8/16.

H. Late policy. Unless otherwise noted above, the late policy for written work is as follows. Work may be submitted early, via Blackboard, for any assignment. The deadline for all assignments, unless otherwise specified, is the start of class on the due date. Work that is submitted past the deadline FOR ANY REASON receives a one full letter grade (10%) deduction (e.g., a paper that earns a B is worth a C if 0­24 hours late; a paper that earns a B is worth a D if 24­48 hours late). Furthermore, no work may be submitted after the official close of the semester without an approved

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course extension. (Such extensions are granted in only the most extreme, and documented, circumstances.)

I. Point breakdown by category.

ASSIGNMENT POINTS % OF TOTAL

Critiques (2x) 20 + 20 = 40 8% Lab Reports (2x) 30 + 30 = 60 12% Drafts (2x) 20 + 20 = 40 8% Teamwork 10 2% Final Draft 100 20% Presentation 40 8% Participation 10 2% Midterm Exams (2x) 50 + 50 = 100 20% Final Exam 100 20% Extra Credit Up to 20 pts. 4%

VI. Grading Scale

GRADE POINTS PERCENT A 463­500 93%­100% A­ 448­462 90%­92% B+ 433­447 87%­89% B 413­432 83%­86% B­ 398­412 80%­82% C+ 383­397 77%­79% C 363­382 73%­76% C­ 348­362 70%­72% D+ 333­347 67%­69% D 313­332 63%­66% D­ 298­312 60%­62% F <297 <60%

THESE ARE FIRM CUT­OFFS. I round up to the nearest percent (e.g., 86.5% rounds up to 87% and equals a B+, but 86.4% rounds down to 86% and equals a B). The point categories listed above reflect this rounding. DO NOT attempt to negotiate grades with me. It is your responsibility to make sure your grade ends up where you want it to be. I have provided ample extra credit opportunities for students who wish to improve their grades. Students who want to improve their learning (and therefore their grades) should see me early in the class for assistance. I will

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not negotiate grades with you, but I will do everything in my power to help you put in the necessary work to be as successful as you desire. VII. Disability Accommodation Any student in this class who has special needs because of a learning, physical, or other disability, please contact me and Disability Support Services (DSS) at (616) 331­2490. Furthermore, if you have a disability and think you will need assistance evacuating this classroom and/or building in an emergency, please make me aware so that the university and I can develop a plan to assist you. It is the student’s responsibility to request assistance from DSS. VIII. Academic Honesty Unless otherwise noted, all work for this course should be independently completed. Students should take special care to provide proper citation of sources when submitting written work. Adopting words, passages, or ideas without citation is plagiarism and will be treated as such per GVSU guidelines. Furthermore, students should not self­plagiarize, that is, reuse their own work from another course.

The following are statements provided by the university and can be found in the Student Code, Sections, 223.00 and 223.01. “Students will do original work and will not take or receive the efforts of another person on any test or assignment, use unauthorized resources on quizzes or tests, plagiarize, or give/sell other students papers or assignments not authorized by the instructor. You are responsible for making yourself aware of and for understanding the policies and procedures that pertain to academic integrity. To that end, be sure to familiarize yourself with the GVSU Student Code (Section 223.00 and 223.01) related to academic integrity. Furthermore, be sure to reference sources at all times. If you are uncertain about such an issue prior to submission of an assignment, project, or test, please see me so we can eliminate that uncertainty. No student shall knowingly plagiarize or copy the work of another person and submit it as his/her own. Offering the work of someone else as one’s own is plagiarism. Any ideas or material taken from another source for either written or oral presentation must be fully acknowledged. The language or ideas

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taken from another may range from isolated formulas, sentences, or paragraphs to entire articles copied from the internet, books, periodicals, speeches, or from the writing of other students. The offering of materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgement also is considered plagiarism. In short, any student who fails to give credit in written or oral work for the ideas or materials that have been taken from another is guilty of plagiarism.” IX. Our Social Contract In order for this course to function optimally, we both have parts to play, and when we each do our part, everyone benefits. As professor, I promise to always do my very best to select interesting and thought­provoking course material. I will prepare course materials to the best of my abilities, and I will make decisions about the course according to the learning goals I have outlined here. I will act fairly – holding every student to the same high standard and providing equal opportunities for success. As student, you promise to prepare diligently for class, to always contribute to the best of your abilities, to never cheat or act dishonestly, and to treat your classmates and me with the highest respect. You will do your best to attend class and be on time. You will not ask me to grant you special privileges that aren’t available to the rest of your classmates, in order that I may adhere to my promise to be fair and just to all of you. X. Course Calendar Wk. Date Topic Reading/Homework/Due

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8/30 Introduction

Research Questions & Research Methods

Read: Morling Ch. 1

9/1 Three Claims, Four

Validities

Read: Morling Ch. 3 Drop by 9/2 for 100%

refund

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9/6 NO CLASS LABOR DAY

9/8 Searching the

Psychological Literature APA Style

Read: Morling Ch. 2 Meet: CC

3 9/13 Ethics Read: Morling Ch. 4 9/15 Reading & Critiquing Read: ARTICLE TBD

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Psychological Research 1 Due: Critique #1 (BB)

4 9/20

Writing Lab 1 Methods, Results Tables, Figures

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9/27 EXAM 1: APA Style & Ch. 1­4

EXAM 1

5 9/22 Experimental Designs Read: Morling Ch. 10­12 9/29 Experiment Lab Meet: CC

6 10/4 Experiment Lab Meet: CC

10/6 Form Groups & Intro to Research Project

Due: Topic Survey

7 10/11 Measurement & Scale

Development Read: Morling Ch. 5­6 Due: Experiment Lab

10/13 Surveys & Sampling Read: Morling Ch. 7

8 10/18 Reading & Critiquing

Psychological Research 2 Read: ARTICLE TBD

Due: Critique #2 (BB) 10/20 Correlational Designs Read: Morling Ch. 8­9

9 10/25 Measurement Lab Meet: CC

10/27 Measurement Lab Meet: CC Drop by 10/28 for W

10 11/1 Writing Lab 2

Introduction, Discussion Due: Measurement Lab

11/3 Work Day ­ Lit. Reviews ­

11 11/8 EXAM 2: Ch. 5­12 EXAM 2 11/10 Other Designs Read: Morling Ch. 13

12 11/15 Data Analysis

Meet: CC Due: Rough draft (Intro

and Methods) 11/17 Data Analysis Meet: CC

13 11/22 Data Analysis Meet: CC 11/24 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING

14 11/29 The Real World &

Replicability Read: Morling Ch. 14

12/1 Writing Lab 3 Peer Review

Due: 2 Paper Copies Full Rough Draft

15 12/6 Final Presentations ­

12/8 Final Presentations Due: Final Draft (Submit on BB)

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Thurs. 12/15

CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM Section 06 (Normally 4pm)

FINAL EXAM (4­6pm) Kindschi 2207

Mon. 12/12

CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM Section 14 (Normally 1pm)

FINAL EXAM (12­2pm) Mackinac D1215